For the past 2 months, the world has changed. The global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought out the best and worst in our society. Personally, I am grateful. Grateful that I have been given the chance to focus on what I needed to work on, to discipline myself to stick to the basic necessities, and be even more thankful for each passing day. Since the quarantine period, I’ve volunteered again to our local Red Cross chapter. The Philippine Red Cross Misamis Oriental – Cagayan de Oro City chapter has been home to me since 2005. In light of recent events, the local chapter has been actively operating against the fight of the pandemic.
Red Cross is a premier humanitarian non-government organization that is committed on various social welfare, disaster, and safety services. In our city, it is widely known as an establishment that offers blood to medical needs. However, it is more than that. Through partnerships with various government and private sector establishments, its income and donations that it receives becomes a helping hand to those who need it in times of need or are greatly affected by the pandemic.
An example of such effort would be that in a span of 6 weeks, the local chapter has installed handwashing facilities in Cogon and Carmen market. With a considerable amount of 7000 to 9000 people entering the market, the handwashing facility has become a necessary safety precaution to limit the spread of the virus. Just after a few days after when the positive case in Barangay Camaman-an surfaced, the chapter directed and distributed food pack donations to the nearby sitios.
The collective donations of different individuals have kept the operations going. May it be in kind or cash, it has kept our bellies warm, bodies healthy, and minds sharp to soldier on our day to day tasks. From alcohol, PPEs, food packs, and clothes, we are thankful for what we have received. We look forward to those kind individuals who are planning on giving us an ample amount of their resources or blessings so to speak.
For 15 years, I’ve seen how the chapter has grown into what it is now. From all the successes and failures, people that passed through its halls, and those that have left their legacies as a pillar to further carry on the humanitarian endeavours. The chapter has come a long way and has cemented itself as a helping hand to the province of Misamis Oriental and the city of Cagayan de Oro. The organization as a whole greatly promotes volunteerism. A noble act of unselfishness so that others may live; To be always first, always ready, and always there.
